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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25029559">Muddy Marie</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyNameIsMarkus/pseuds/MyNameIsMarkus'>MyNameIsMarkus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Splatoon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Timeline, Amputation, Crummy Movies, Cuddles, F/F, Fever, Flu, Prosthesis, Robot Leg, Sick Character, Sickfic, Soup, slight change, snuggles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:09:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25029559</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyNameIsMarkus/pseuds/MyNameIsMarkus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marie's got the flu, and Callie is a bit too busy running amok under the influence of the Octarian menace to really nurse her back to health. Thankfully, Captain Cuttlefish has a backup; a plucky little Splatoon Agent that Marie is quite fond of.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Agent 4/Marie (Splatoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Muddy Marie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a wonderfully pleasant day as Aliah awoke with a soft yawn. There was something about that sleep, it just...man, something about it just felt GOOD! The sun was shining through the clouds and partly through the windows as Aliah threw off the covers and jumped to her feet. She rushed downstairs, pancakes made and ready to go within the hour, and she sat to enjoy the stack with a dash of syrup. She always prided herself on having the energy to get up and go the second she got out of bed; Ivory, she of the scarred eye, she would still be asleep by this point.</p><p> </p><p>Munching on the sweet, fluffy pancakes, Aliah flipped her phone over and accessed the Agent Chat Channel. Cuttlefish, her boss, had set it up some time previous. Said it was based off of something from the Metro...whatever that was. Still, was a good way to get the day’s news and duties straight from the top. Plus she always liked to make sure Ivory was in some vague manner awake. She accessed the main channel and began to type;</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: Helloooooooooo world!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>A few seconds passed. Then;</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: morning agent 4. glad to see SOMEONE awake at this time.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: Heh, like that edgelord would be awake at 8AM.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: Probably still cuddled up with the Octoling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: i mean, youre not wrong. anyhoo, got a special task for you, young lady. might even like it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: What it be, sir?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: marie has fallen ill with flu. she woke up at four last night complaining she was too hot.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: then at 5 saying she was too cold.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: and on and on and on and on and on</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: Yeah, I get the picture. Hmm. Why can’t Cal do it? She didn’t put the shades on again, did she?!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: ye</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: &gt;:(</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: same, to be honest. ill get ivory and ebony to get her back. shes acting a little stubborn in her delirium. i hope she will listen to you more than she will to me.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Agent4: Got it, boss. Be right down. Her apartment, right?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Cuttlefish: ye. i told her not to come down to the canyon. not much use gettin everyone sick...</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Aliah closed the chat and squirmed a little. Marie? Sick? With the sniffles and the fever and the constant, CONSTANT headache? Oh shell no. She would not STAND for this happening to her favourite Squid Sister. Leaping to her feet, she rummaged through her apartment for supplies, including the stuff she needed for some super healthy soup, and threw on her Agent gear. Not QUITE the same as it had been in the past - white instead of neon yellow, and fashioned with gloves and a cape - but it was still good stuff. Tying her orange tentacles up in a boyish ponytail, she grabbed her stuff and began the long walk to Marie’s apartment.</p><p> </p><p>===</p><p> </p><p>Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing dooooooooooooooong</p><p> </p><p>Classic Marie. Had to show off with the doorbell being like two months long. Aliah pushed through the door open and walked into the room. Nice place, actually. An apartment block, well furnished with all sorts of trinkets and trappings bought and found over the years. The kitchen in the back, to which Aliah quickly set down her soup ingredients, a few couches lined up with a TV, a dinner table still holding a plate of half-finished toast and covered in flyers for Callie’s next stage tour. Lush green carpets, beige walls, even a nice balcony overlooking the Plaza tower standing proudly in the distance. Aliah could only wish she could afford something like this. Well, anything other than her crummy apartment would be better. At least there wouldn’t be cracks in the walls.</p><p> </p><p>Aliah turned to the door to Marie’s bedroom. She knew it was hers because the door was lined with green; Callie’s was lined with pink. It creaked open, and from it emerged Cuttlefish. He was rubbing his forehead with a towel, wiping the sweat off of his brow. He looked worried. Understandly, considering the circumstances. He looked at the Agent and piqued up, “Oh, hello Agent 4!”</p><p> </p><p>“S’up boss?” Aliah grinned, “So...how is she?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not good. Not good at all,” Cuttlefish sighed, “She keeps trying to get out of bed, but...she’s so sick! She’s in NO condition to stand up, never mind not being able to thanks to her...you know...”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah stopped cold and shivered. She could still remember the screams from that fateful day. HER screams...she shook her head to try and dispell the thoughts, but they kept going. She shivered slightly, “Listen, boss, I-”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry, Agent 4,” Cuttlefish sighed somewhat happier this time, “You did what you needed to do. She’s making a great recovery. I just wish she’d use her...replacement, more. ANYWAY, must dash!” he clambered into a green jacket, “Gotta go find Cal. For some reason she’s...in The Reef? I dunno what those shades ‘re sayin’ to her THIS time but...”</p><p> </p><p>“There’s a Sale on Seanut Butter?” Aliah chuckled, “Don’t worry boss, I can handle things for now. Where’re the others?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, Agent 8 managed to get Agent 3 out of bed...” Cuttlefish shrugged, “We’re going down there now to apprehend Cal. Good luck, Agent 4! I know Marie has taken a sort of, shine, to you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, I DID save her cousin,” Aliah boasted playfully.</p><p> </p><p>“True! Welp, I’ll leave her in your capable hands, Agent!” Cuttlefish dashed out of the door, “Good luck!”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah watched the little man run, shrugging with a peaceful sigh. She placed a pot on the stove and began the process of making the soup.</p><p> </p><p>===</p><p> </p><p>This wasn’t Fresh, Marie thought. This wasn’t Fresh in the slightest. Sickness never was, it was a special type of simply awful. Groggy, muddy, hot one second and cold the next. She shuffled about in her bed covers, trying desperately to stave off the mucky feeling in her head. She reared up, sneezed hard, followed by a round of dreadful coughing that strained her throat. This was agony. She flopped to the cool mattress, throwing the scalding hot...cold...? Guh, she lost her train of thought. She was cold. And hot. And cold. And-</p><p> </p><p>“Hellooooooooooooo~” came a warm voice, “You okay, hun?”</p><p> </p><p>Marie finally cracked a smile through her flushed face. She knew exactly what the voice was all about. She coughed, then croaked out a froggy, “Come iiiiiiiiiiin...”</p><p> </p><p>The door creaked open, and an Inkling walked into a room. Marie’s smile widened; yep, it was Agent 4. Aliah. Savoir of her cousin. A-And the Zapfish and the city, of course. Dressed in a modified version of the Hero Hoodie she was given near the start of all this, now coloured white and fashioned with a cape. Guess after 3 gaining one, it was understandable. She also wore white fingerless gloves and had her orange tentacles up in a ponytail - typically a boy’s hairstyle, but then Aliah always WAS a rebel. Marie hated to admit it, but...she really did like the Inkling, deep down. Perhaps more than just a mere friend, though that was NEVER getting out, the snapperazi would swarm if that ever became even a rumour. Even if she was too foggy-minded to really worry about that.</p><p> </p><p>“Eeeeey!” Aliah crowed happily, the sound just a little too loud for Marie’s now sensitive ears. She whined, shuffling around in her sheets and clasping them to her ears. Aliah yelped in worried shock, softly approaching and sitting beside the sick squid. She reached out and touched Marie’s face - her cheeks were cold and clammy, her forehead was ablaze. Aliah talked softer this time, “Sorry...how’re you feeling, Marie?”</p><p> </p><p>“Like trash...” Marie sighed, smiling vaguely as Aliah softly stroked the side of her head, “I feel...tired, I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, Gramps told me everythin’,” Aliah said, taking her hand off Marie’s hand. The latter whined at the lack of touch, but Alilah remained steadfast, “You’re burning up, Marie. You need something cold, then some nice, healthy food!”</p><p> </p><p>“Good thing I got the master of Junk Food, then,” Marie said with a sly smile.</p><p> </p><p>Aliah chuckled, “Nah, I got a PROPER meal for ya, Marie. Some piping hot Soup, fresh from my Gramma’s cookbook! I’m gonna make the best soup y’all EVER tasted! Trust me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can help...” Marie said vividly, “I can...stand...” Marie flipped off the covers and tried to jump to her feet. “Tried” being the operative word, there, as she didn’t really have feet to stand on. More, a foot. Aliah tried to look away, but she knew she couldn’t; Marie’s left leg ended at the knee, with a metal brace attached directly to the flesh. She had lost it during the final battle. Trapped under a bit of debris shaken loose by Octavio’s attacks. Had to be ripped free from the wreckage before Octavio and his controlled Callie could splat her for good...just, it took the leg with it. Ripped off in such a way that Inkling biology couldn’t just grow it back.</p><p> </p><p>Marie tried to stand, but flopped to the bed again, coughing up a storm. Aliah sighed and softly placed the covers back over her, “Marie...you can’t stand. Even without your...y-yeah, you’re too weak from being ill. Trust me, I’m here to make you feel better.”</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you always?” Marie said, chuckling under her breath. Aliah just loved it when Marie did that. Marie shook her head, “I’m fine, honestly...I can help.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re in no condition to help,” Aliah sighed, “Don’t worry, I got this. I’ll have you some nice Gramma Soup in no time! Just watch!”</p><p> </p><p>Marie tried to intervene, but she knew the Agent wouldn’t take her struggles as an answer. At least, not yet. She shrugged and shifted herself back onto the bed properly, head rolling to the side and her stumped leg visibly dithering about under the fabric. It pained Aliah’s hearts to see her idol in this much...well, pain was probably the wrong word, more discomfort. But then, that’s what she was there to do. First things first, she ventured out to the kitchen and soaked a tea towel in ice cold water, returning to Marie only to plop it on her forehead. Marie winced at first from the sheer change in temperature, but eventually snuggled into it, blissfully soaking in the damp coolness on her burning head.</p><p> </p><p>Satisfied, Aliah went into the kitchen properly to start cooking, observing the stock she had set in the pot already starting to simmer from the heat. She started cutting the vegetables, and almost instantly she ran into an issue; she didn’t...actually know how to cook. Her Gramma cooked for her before she went to the big city and became an Agent, and had subsided on microwave meals and takeout the entire time after. Ivory always mocked her choice of dinner, but Aliah never thought much of it. Not when Ivory subsided on those rotten ration packs and Ebony...cod knows what she had to eat in the Canyon and the Metro.</p><p> </p><p>Cooking was still beyond her, but she reckoned that it couldn’t be THAT difficult, surely! All it included was cutting all this stuff into slices, putting it all into the pot and watching it so that it didn’t burn. Simple, right? Well, the cutting wasn’t going too well, to start with. Her cuts were sporadic and uneven. Some came out paper thin, others were chunks like tree trunks of carrot. Her technique was haphazard, constantly waving around the vegetable and getting her knife stuck in it. She chopped down hard on the stiff carrot, it was clearly only so long until -</p><p> </p><p>“AARGH!!!”</p><p> </p><p>Yep. That happened. Aliah had cut a good chunk out of her finger. Orange ink leaked from the slice, though thankfully she had managed to whisk her hand away before any ink dripped onto the vegetables and contaminated it. She sucked on her finger, the bitter taste of ink washing down her throat as she groaned in pain. She stared at her finger, damn near sliced off, and whined softly.</p><p> </p><p>“Agent 4...are you okay?” came Marie’s voice from the bedroom.</p><p> </p><p>“Y-Yeah!” Aliah cried out, her voice wavering as she wrapped her finger in paper towel, “I’m good...I’m good...”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not. I can hear the commotion from here!” A fetid round of coughing followed soon after Marie made her statement. Aliah winced at the pain she must have been feeling in her throat.</p><p> </p><p>Aliah grunted as she continued to clutch at her hand, “I can handle it, Marie! It’s cool.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not cool! Screw this...” there was a pained grunt from her bedroom, then a slam as the door opened. Marie, clad in nightgown and using her empty Hero Charger as a makeshift crutch, slowly ambling towards the injured squid, “Right, let me help you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Marie!” Aliah called out, somewhat shocked but mostly flustered, “Y-You’re not supposed to be up.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well I am. I know how to cook,” Marie huffed, stumbling over to the kitchen counter. She got a fresh, un-inked knife and began to daintily cut the vegetables into much neater slices, even with her shaking hands, “I can even teach you, if you’d like...” holding back a cough, she slowly eased the vegetables into the near-burned stock and brought the heat down to simmer properly. She looked at the haphazard cuts Aliah had made to both the carrots and herself. She chuckled, “Jeez, where did you learn to cut?”</p><p> </p><p>“I...”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine, I can handle it,” Marie sighed weakly, “Band-aids are under the sink.”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah tried to protest, but nothing came out. She sighed and went to get a band-aid. She wrapped a large one around her cut and flexed her finger a bit. Fit well, good. She looked up at Marie looking over the developing soup. It smelled nice. But Marie was wobbly on her remaining leg, her eyes lidded, ears drooping. Her tentacles paler than normal, her once vibrant green tint now a pale mint. Aliah gulped, “Marie...a-at least put your leg on.”</p><p> </p><p>“I. DON’T...” Marie said, slowly, darkly, “Need it...”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s there for a reason, Marie,” Aliah said quietly, before looking up at the squid; she was coughing violently into a tissue, torso swaying this way and that, “...Marie?”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t need it...” she whined deliriously, “I could’ve...I could’ve done so much more...better...” she started to stumble and swoon, “So...w-warm...”</p><p> </p><p>She groaned as her energy was sapped. She twisted, then began to fall. Aliah squawked out a “MARIE!” and rushed to catch her. She managed to before Marie hit her head on the floor, and she stared. They looked each other in the eyes, stunned. Her fair skin, her deep eyes, her plump lips...Cod, even when Marie was ill she still radiated beauty. Even when she was clammy and caked with sweat.</p><p> </p><p>“Heh...anyone ever tell you how cute you look, Agent 4?” Marie asked softly, stroking the side of Aliah’s face before tiredness and sickness overtook her and she arched her head back. Her breath was a wheeze, her skin burning to the touch. Aliah took a few seconds, a mad blush spread across her face and her hearts thumping like crazy.</p><p> </p><p>Was it...was it okay to love your boss?!</p><p> </p><p>===</p><p> </p><p>Marie awoke on the couch, covered in a cool blanket, the savoury smell of soup sifting into her sinuses. Her head still felt gummed up with mud and her throat was dry and hoarse. She coughed, a sense of pain spreading up her inflamed, sore throat. She groaned, turning on her side. What happened? She looked up to the coffee table; a blue-ringed bowl of green soup was sitting on the side, steaming hot with what appeared to be some finely chopped nuts sprinkled on top. It smelled...pretty good, actually. To her left, Aliah was sitting on the comfy armchair, poking at her phone. It didn’t take long for the squid to notice Marie, placing the phone back into her pocket and slowly walking towards her, “Hey ‘Rie.”</p><p> </p><p>Marie cut to the chase, “...How long was I out?”</p><p> </p><p>“About an hour, maybe two...” Aliah asked, shaking her head softly, “Just kinda...collapsed on the floor. You feeling okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“...Foggy,” Marie croaked, “Throat’s sore...”</p><p> </p><p>“Aww...” Aliah frowned, “Well, don’t worry! My Gramma’s soup recipe will have you on your feet in no time!”</p><p> </p><p>“If you say so...” Marie chuckled. She slowly got up into a sitting position, no matter how much her body protested from it. Aliah grabbed a spoon and scooped up some soup. She nodded, silently asking Marie if she needed help with eating - Marie simply nodded, knowing that her body just wasn’t up to it. Aliah placed the spoon in Marie’s mouth - the soup tasted incredible. Had that sort of homemade feel to it, a spiced blend of vegetables and stock. Even the nuts added a little twinge of flavour to the whole thing. Her shivering body slowly calmed, a pleasant warm washing away the uncomfortable heat from before. She smiled, eyes closed in content, “Mmmm...”</p><p> </p><p>“Like it?” Aliah prodded, to which Marie nodded. Aliah grinned, “Great to hear! My Gramma made it for me all the time when I was sick. Special family recipe, you know?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, tell your Gramma she was a good cook...” Marie chuckled, “So...hmm, what now, then?”</p><p> </p><p>“WELL...” Aliah nearly boasted, “I’ve got some beautifully crummy movies to watch, some games to play...” she grinned, “We’re gonna have a REAL good time indoors. Hey, maybe if you’re feeling better later, we can go for a walk.”</p><p> </p><p>“I mean...we COULD...” Marie sighed, “It’s just that...you know...”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah sighed. She DID know what Marie meant. She placed a hand on her shoulder, “...Marie. It’s okay. So you...lost a limb, nothing to be ashamed of.”</p><p> </p><p>“It just...” Marie sighed, “Reminds me of the mistakes I made. I should have looked at the charge levels before I shot those shades off! I could have killed Callie! Imagine if I did that!”</p><p> </p><p>“What kind of path would you have taken, I wonder?” Aliah mused, before she got close, “But...i-it’s okay. You did as you needed to do. Like I did. We...did what we needed to do.”</p><p> </p><p>“...But did we?”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah was silent for a bit, “I think so. We got you the leg for a reason, after all. It’s a nice thing, really! Got a ton of stuff in it!”</p><p> </p><p>“Like a can opener?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sheldon got a hold of it,” Aliah chuckled, scratching the back of her head, “I’m sure he meant well. Point is...it’s not a symbol of your failure, Marie. More...uh, well it’s cool!”</p><p> </p><p>“Always the philosophical one,” Marie chuckled, patting at the young Inkling’s head, to which she looked away and blushed. Marie chuckled further, “Aah, remember when you didn’t even know my name? Now you blush when you look at me.”</p><p> </p><p>“S-So what if I do...?” Aliah blushed harder, “So does everyone else...everyone thinks they love you.”</p><p> </p><p>“And yet...” Marie smiled warmly, “You’re genuine. I can tell.”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah went silent, the shock settling into her system, “WELL, uh...” she looked away, “Y-Yeah, you’re pretty! Now more than ever?”</p><p> </p><p>“Now?” Marie looked despondent, “A sick, one-legged freak? I’d be laughed out of Team Pirate.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not a freak, never a freak,” Aliah said, “That leg is a symbol, Marie. Of how strong you are, you know? Octavio may have your leg but he’ll NEVER get the rest of you...” she placed a hand on Marie’s, “Me and Cal will make dang sure of that...well, when she gets back. Tell you what...”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah rushed off, a sighing Marie folding into the fabric that covered her. A few tumbles were heard as Aliah returned, holding some metal in her hand. It was Marie’s metal leg, silver in colour with a strip of lights running down the side, ending at a sort of hinged wedge for the foot. Aliah gave it a shake, Marie cringed in response, “I don’t...wanna.”</p><p> </p><p>“You need it now, Marie,” Aliah pressed on, “You’ll get used to it soon, I know you will. Here, let me help you put it on!” she flipped the covers off of Marie’s stump, Marie somewhat thanking the cool breeze splaying across her legs. Aliah slotted the leg in, and screwed it into place. Marie felt nothing, heard nothing but the soft screwing sounds. Aliah gave the leg a soft slap, “Alright! Try standing up. Gramps said you don’t practice a lot with this...”</p><p> </p><p>Marie tried to protest, but she saw the puppy eyes of the Agent and sighed. She couldn’t resist that. So, with a grunt of effort, she pushed herself to her feet and stood up straight. Her remaining leg wobbled from sickness, but the mechanical one stood strong. She took a small step towards the Agent, “How’s this?”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah blushed more. The idol stood before her was...just, beautiful. Marie didn’t need the stupid tight dresses and caked on makeup that the stage often gave her. She radiated beauty, even when ill. Her expression, her eyes, her lovely hair, her stunning physique, capped off with the robot leg keeping her upright. Holding her strong. Aliah gasped, “...Cod, you’re beautiful,”</p><p> </p><p>Marie smiled, a warm blush spreading across her face. She picked the Agent up, and gave her a neat kiss on the cheek, to which the Agent squawked and blushed harder still. Marie giggled, “Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“F-For what?!” Aliah blurted out.</p><p> </p><p>“You know...believing in me,” Marie smiled, snuggling the Agent close.</p><p> </p><p>Aliah giggled herself, scratching the back of her head again, “Oh well, you know...it was nothing, really.”</p><p> </p><p>“So...wanna watch a crummy movie?” Marie pointed to the couch, “Maybe cuddle under that blanket?”</p><p> </p><p>“...Sounds like a good way to get ill.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Marie teased, “And?”</p><p> </p><p>Aliah mulled it over in her head, “Aaaand I’m in. Let me get you a fresh spoon for that soup real quick.”</p><p> </p><p>And so, spoons in hand, the two settled down with bowls of soup and cola and lemonade, watching a truly awful movie. It actually had Pearl in it, of all people. The two watched, mocked, screamed, laughed. And all the while, Aliah could feel Marie snuggle into her, her blanketed body pressing against hers. Her body was warm, her head clammy and muddy. Every now and then she would sneeze and cough. But Aliah didn’t mind. In sickness or in health, she knew Marie meant the world to her.</p><p> </p><p>It would only be hours later, with a Captain returning home with his very guilt-stricken granddaughter clad in leather and bruises, would the two be discovered. Sound asleep, softly embraced, delirious smiles on their faces.</p>
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